


faded stars

by georgiehensley



Category: Stargirl (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Male Character, Daydreaming, Grief/Mourning, Introspection, M/M, Multi, Past Relationship(s), Polyamorous Character, au where sylvester is actually courtney's dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24549607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgiehensley/pseuds/georgiehensley
Summary: it's been ten years since sylvester died, and yet not a moment goes by where pat's not thinking about him.
Relationships: Pat Dugan/Sylvester Pemberton
Comments: 1
Kudos: 40





	faded stars

**Author's Note:**

> it makes me SO SAD how empty this tag is when the show is SO GOOD, so i had to write something to hopefully get the ball rolling on some awesome fics. and this is also past pat/sylvester bc THE SHIP NEEDS SOME LOVE!!! THEY WERE BOYFRIENDS, DAMMIT!!!
> 
> also implied poly bc i like to think that pat's bi and would be with both barbara and sylvester if syl were still alive
> 
> oh and i never read stargirl comics so idk if sylvester is her dad in canon, which is why i labeled this as an au. but i love the concept of him being her dad and they really love teasing it on the show, so, i ran with it.

it's been ten years since sylvester died, and yet not a moment goes by where pat's not thinking about him.

when he's in the garage, working on his stripes suit, he thinks about what sort of comments sylvester would make about it, calling him the "iron giant" or making  _ transformers _ references. pat usually has to step away from his work for a moment to laugh, shaking his head and blinking several times to will away the tears that start to form in his eyes.

when he goes to sleep at night next to barbara, he pictures sylvester there with them, with pat lying in between the two. he thinks about how sylvester always insisted on having personal space in bed, only to wind up clinging to pat like an octopus once he fell asleep. pat dreams about what life might be like had sylvester lived, walking down the nebraskan streets, holding hands with both him and barbara, and what a great triad they would have made.

and when he's with courtney--

_ fuck _ . pat almost feels like he's  _ with _ sylvester when he's with her. she's so much like her father, from her face, to her costume ( _ his _ costume, really, only tailored to fit her), to her determination and stubbornness, always going against pat's instructions in the name of defeating the injustice society. she's so much like her father that it hurts pat, sometimes, remembering that sylvester's not around anymore.

the worst of it all is when pat's down in the basement, looking at old photographs and the crate that holds the cosmic staff. he'll take it out sometimes, the staff, just to hold onto. of course, it never glows for him, never responds to  _ his _ commands, but it makes him feel closer to sylvester. makes him feel like he's still around, somehow, through the staff.

it's got sentience, that much he knows, though he can't entirely remember if it had before sylvester passed away, or only afterwards. that thought always brings a smile to his face, that sylvester's soul might be living on through the staff. it's unlikely, he knows, but it brings him comfort, and a sense of peace.

in the privacy of the dark, empty basement late at night, pat lets the tears fall. he clutches the staff tightly in his hands and cries, whispering about how much he misses sylvester, how he wishes he could still be here in the flesh.

sometimes, he'll swear he feels the staff pulse while he cries. but it might just be his imagination.

whenever he calms down, he'll put the staff away, as well as his old photographs, and head off to bed.

but he'll still be thinking about sylvester.


End file.
